


Kagehina Soul Eater AU

by capuberra



Series: Soul Eater AU [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soul Eater Fusion, Established Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Soul Eater AU, eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:40:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25102573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capuberra/pseuds/capuberra
Summary: A collection of drabbles ft. weapon Hinata and meister Kageyama
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Series: Soul Eater AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828159
Comments: 2
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters 1 and 2 are standalones (and not overtly shippy), Chapters 3-5 are a mini series (Kagehina focused)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata tries to master a new weapon form, but it's easier said than done

He knew it would work this time. Everything felt good- they were both in good form, their souls working in tandem. They had been training all day. It _had_ to work this time. “One more time!” Hinata called, clenching his fists.

Kageyama looked up at him, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. “Right,” he said through gritted teeth. He wouldn’t give in to the exhaustion threatening to fray his concentration. Not when his partner was calling for him. “Let’s go again- katana mode!”

He held out his hand and Hinata leapt into the air, transforming into a sword with a sleek dark blade. Kageyama gave it a few practice swings. Balanced, sharp, perfect. He took a breath and plunged back into the course they had been running for hours under the hot sun. It was almost mechanical to him at this point, dodging and hacking through a maze of posts, but his senses were still sharp. “Hinata- tanto mode.”

He tossed the sword into the air and felt their soul wavelengths surge as Hinata spun, shrinking into a short knife that Kageyama held close to his body. He could feel the muscles in his legs protesting but he pushed forward, slicing through sandbags, keeping his wavelength steady and precise. “Ready?”

“Bring it!” Hinata grinned, barely able to contain his excitement. This was it- he was _finally_ going to unlock his new mode. He could see it clearly in his mind. A yumi, a lithe bow that would shoot Kageyama’s compressed wavelength as arrows. Totally badass. “Let’s go soul resonance!” 

He reached out eagerly for Kageyama’s soul. As always when they were in battle mode it was cool, his heartbeat rippling like water. Hinata tried to take that rhythm into his own, amplifying it, strengthening it. _C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, let’s go!_ They needed to be faster, more powerful. They were so close, Hinata could feel it-

“-Hinata, you need to calm down,” he heard Kageyama’s voice echo in his head, “You’re too excited, your wavelengths are becoming erratic.”

“No, keep going!” They couldn’t stop now, they were so close. Hinata could feel his body starting to shift and take form. “We need more-”

Kageyama gasped, wincing from the waves coming off his partner. Hinata’s soul was always warm and buzzing with energy, but now it was becoming hot and sharp, almost painful to touch. His temper flared. “Stop being such a hyperactive- _augh!”_

There was a spike of resonance energy Hinata couldn’t control, and Kageyama was too busy trying to keep his own levels even to contain it. A bolt of pure, electrified soul waves passed between them, shocking Kageyama and sending Hinata flying. They both landed on their asses, Hinata back in human form and rubbing his head. Kageyama laid back with a groan and tried to catch his breath. He was shaking a little from Hinata’s outburst, completely drained. He gingerly held up his hands; the one that had wrapped around the hilt of Hinata’s tanto was red and smoking faintly. He was completely in shock, but his partner’s voice snapped him out of it.

“Kageyama, one more time!”

Suddenly the life came roaring back into Kageyama’s body. He jumped to his feet, running to grab Hinata by the collar. “Are you completely insane? Were you _trying_ to fuck up our resonance?” He lifted the shorter boy up and gave him a shake. “You could’ve killed me, dumbass! Weapons are supposed to _listen_ to their meisters!” 

Hinata started babbling an apology, but it was really only the clanging of the lunch bell that saved him. 

“-I don’t know why you’re so desperate to get this bow and arrow mode,” Kageyama said through mouthfuls of rice, “You haven’t even mastered the sword or knife forms yet. Your transitions still suck, they’re too slow.”

Hinata’s face went red as he stabbed a piece of chicken. “Shut up, Kageyama. This is how I’ll get stronger and become the greatest Death Scythe ever!”

Kenma, who had been looking on with disinterest, gave a faint smile. “Most Death Scythes only have one mode, Shoyo,” he said, “Maybe you should be more concerned about collecting souls.”

Kageyama and Hinata shot each other nasty looks, as if it was the other’s fault that they only had one soul to show for all their effort. (Long story.) 

“Haven’t you ever wished you could be something other than a whip, Kenma?”

He shrugged. “Sounds like too much effort to me.”

Hinata stabbed another piece of chicken with furrowed brows, as if the concept of “too much effort” was beyond his understanding. “Well we’re getting close, I can feel it. And once I master the yumi form I’ll be one step closer to becoming the greatest weapon ever!” He was getting that shining look in his eyes, the one Kageyama couldn’t help but smile at. “I’m gonna train and get stronger and stronger-” Hinata started waving around his forkful of chicken “-I’m gonna have so many modes, I’ll be able to defeat any opponent! I’ll even defeat _you_ one day, Kageyama- then I’ll really be the best!”

There was a beat of silence. Kageyama’s face dropped.

“Huh? I’m your partner, idiot! Why the hell are you trying to defeat _me?_ And how are you supposed to do that with no one to wield you?”

“Kenma will wield me!” Hinata pointed with his fork, narrowly avoiding hitting his friend with sauce.

“Kenma’s a _weapon!_ That’s not how it works!” Kageyama barked, seething. “How did I end up partnered with such a dumbass? Maybe I’ll just become my own weapon-”

They fell into their usual bickering, jabbing cutlery into each other faces. Kenma sighed and returned to pushing food around his plate, wondering where Kuroo had run off to. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata & Kageyama get off to a rocky start

The first time they met was…not great.

It was at Academy orientation, not even their first official day. The students were milling about the grounds with weapon/meister name tags stuck to their chests, and Hinata, naturally, was trying to strike up a conversation with everyone he could.

He was walking aimlessly, head in the clouds as he ogled the architecture with wide eyes and a stupid grin that just screamed “I’m finally here!” (something he had literally screamed multiple times already). He was about to yell it again when his back collided with something. 

“Watch it, idiot.”

Hinata jumped a foot in the air, whirling around with stuttered apologies. His eyes went first to the face that scowled down at him and then to the name tag: Kageyama, Meister. The smile lit up his face again. “Wow, you’re Tobio Kageyama? Like from the _Kageyama_ Kageyamas? Like the Kageyamas who’ve trained _four_ Death Scythes? Those Kageyamas?”

The other boy clenched his jaw, his dark eyes flashing. He might’ve been cute if he didn’t look like he wanted to kill someone, Hinata thought. Not that the latter bit really registered. “Are you stupid?” Kageyama growled, “Just get out of my way, runt. I’m only interested in weapons who could actually keep up with me. Clearly, you can’t.”

“ _Runt?_ ”

It was all downhill from there. The word butthead was thrown around more times than their future selves would like to admit. It started with a little shoving, ended with Hinata nearly stabbing Kageyama and Kageyama nearly breaking Hinata’s rib. Needless to say, their fight was the main topic of conversation at the new students’ reception mixer— and needless to say, Hinata and Kageyama were not in attendance. 

After a brief pit stop at the nurses office, Professor Ukai threw the boys unceremoniously into his lecture hall. “The Academy can’t function without cooperation. I’m not saying you have to be best friends, but you sure as hell can’t beat the crap out of each other for no reason. I’ll be back in two hours- I wanna see cooperation.” Ukai slammed the door shut and locked it behind him.

It was tense at first, their icy silence only broken periodically by Hinata’s pestering and Kageyama’s seething. But finally, surprisingly, there was a peace offering.

“That one move you did, it caught me off guard.” Kageyama’s arms were still folded, his body still angled away from Hinata, but he glanced reluctantly at the orange-haired boy. “Your arm was like a katana, but then you changed into a knife to avoid my attack. Can you use multiple weapon forms?”

Just like that, they turned over a new leaf. Hinata almost fainted when he learned that Kageyama (sort of) knew Tenma Udai, the Death Scythe he’d idolized for years. And as little as he wanted to admit it, Kageyama was impressed by the scrappy boy who had _two_ blade forms. The list of things they had in common started to outgrow the list of things they hated about each other, and then someone had a crazy idea…

“What the hell is this?!”

The cigarette almost fell out of Ukai’s mouth. He opened his classroom door to see his desk, all his papers, nearly hacked to bits. Kageyama was holding the hilt of a sword, out of which Hinata’s torso sprouted to give him a high five. They froze like deer in headlights.

Hinata swallowed. “Cooperation?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 3  
> Hinata (finally) realizes he has a crush on Kageyama  
> (Set a few months after Ch 1)

Mornings had just become a problem for Hinata.

Actually, mornings had always been a problem for Hinata. Just for different reasons.

At the beginning of their rocky partnership, it was usually because whatever stupid argument he and Kageyama had gotten into the night before would still be stewing, and both were just waiting for the other to set them off again. Typically that manifested itself in a yelling match about the right way to make eggs, despite the fact that both of them usually just burned it onto the pan anyway. On special occasions it would turn into a competition, usually a race to school that ended in someone running headlong into a teacher or showing up with only one shoe. 

Yep, mornings had been stressful. But once they settled down enough to realize that their morning routines were practically the same (shocker), they fell into a nice rhythm. On sunrise runs they pushed each other to go further, faster, and after cool-down stretches they meditated together to hone their soul wavelengths. Some days they even remembered to do their homework together before they left for class. Things were good. 

And then Hinata fucked it up.

It was sort of a dawning realization, one that grew slowly and steadily and subtly, until one thing clicked and it all came flooding in. 

The day started out normal. They stepped out of their rooms at 6:30, both wearing joggers and their DWMA t-shirts. “Morning Kageyama,” Hinata said with a smile. His partner, less of a morning person, nodded. 

The sun had almost crested the roofs of Death City as they entered the last leg of their run. Hinata glanced at Kageyama through the steam of his breath. The sleep wasn’t completely gone from his eyes, but they looked forward with that unshakable focus Hinata always admired. The white light of the October morning suited him, glowing on his skin and catching the dark blue of his eyes. Hinata always thought he looked kinda goofy when he was mad (something he often said just to make him angrier), but now, with that peaceful look on his face, he couldn’t help but think that his partner was…really handsome. Was he always that good-looking? The question has crossed his mind a few times recently, when he found himself studying Kageyama’s sleepy face in the morning. Other people had made comments to that effect but Hinata never really stopped to consider it-

Kageyama looked over at him. His lips curled in a smirk. “What, have I been going easy on you?”

Hinata blinked, his reverie broken. “Huh-?” Before he could really answer Kageyama sprinted away, dashing full speed up the hill that led to their apartment. “Dammit, Kageyama!” Hinata called, chasing after his partner. Of course he got there second, breathing heavily as he collapsed onto the stoop next to him. “Two hundred twenty-seven to two thirty-three.”

“You’re on a losing streak.” Kageyama pushed down on Hinata’s head as he got up. “And here I thought you were the only one who could keep up with me,” he said, shooting him a wicked grin, “Maybe I’ll have to look for a new partner.”

Hinata snorted and followed him inside. “Yeah right. You say that all the time, but you know there’s no one else that can do what we do.”

Kageyama laughed, but then paused on the steps and looked back at him with a expression Hinata couldn’t place. “Yeah. Together, we’re gonna be the greatest, right?”

Hinata nodded. Kageyama made another comment as they reached their door but he didn’t hear. Something about the way Kageyama said “together”hit him like a ton of bricks. Suddenly his face felt like it was on fire. His own words kept echoing: _no one else can do what we do_. There was always a certain satisfaction in that, in having a strong bond and knowing that no other team could pull off the same attacks, or use the same weapons. But what was making Hinata’s heart stutter right now was something different, warmer.

Or- was it? He was sure every weapon and meister pair felt the same way, to some extent. And the two of them talked like that constantly (as their friends were quick to complain), but Hinata had never thought about it like _that_ before. Sure, he and Kageyama were close. Really close. They were best friends, partners. They would go to the ends of the earth for each other. They needed each other. But Hinata had never thought about him like _that._ Hell, they’d melded souls dozens of times but the thought never even occurred to him. 

Kageyama’s soul. It was cool like water, but there was a fiery drive at its core; that was part of what drew them together. It was gentler than it’s owner would ever admit, sometimes shy and unsure how to deal with people. It took a lot of trust for Kageyama to be so reliant on his partner and Hinata knew that, cherished that. When they were in battle and he entrusted his soul to him…in those moments, the world felt completely right. But no, that was normal, it wasn’t—

Hinata felt a blood vessel burst somewhere. His cheeks were hot but the pit of his stomach was cold. He had _feelings_ for Kageyama. He’d had feelings for Kageyama for a long time. He felt nauseous. 

“-Hinata!”

He blinked. Kageyama was staring at him, looking annoyed.

“You can stop pulling on me now.”

They were sitting on the floor, legs spread and hands gripping each other’s arms to stretch. Suddenly the skin beneath Hinata’s fingers felt white hot. He wrenched his hands away, leaping up. “Sorry! I’ll uh- breakfast! Breakfast time!”

Kageyama surveyed him with disgust for a second before apparently deciding it wasn’t worth getting into. “Whatever,” he rolled his eyes as he got up, “I’m gonna shower. Don’t take forever after me, we need time to meditate— I found a breathing technique that’s supposed to help connect our wavelengths. Might be helpful for the yumi mode.” 

He started pulling off his shirt. All the blood drained from Hinata’s face. This was too much. His poor brain was already overloaded trying to process emotions that didn’t have to do with weapon training. And now he was supposed to let Kageyama into his soul? _Now?_ He would definitely know something was up, he’d gotten pretty attuned to sensing Hinata’s emotional state when they matched wavelengths. God, he’d know in a second. That would be bad. Really bad. 

There was only one way out.

“I’m going to school!” Hinata yelled, his eyes wild. “I just remembered I have- uh, class!” In a flash he was already halfway out the door, tripping when he tried to put on his shoes at the same time. 

Kageyama was shell-shocked for a second as he watched his partner sprint down the stairs. It was his turn to burst a blood vessel as he rushed out of the apartment, half dressed.

Hinata was halfway down the block when he heard Kageyama screaming from the door of their building. “Hinata, you idiot! Where the hell are you going? You haven’t even showered— you stink!”

Hinata didn’t look back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata and Kageyama go on an assignment while Hinata wrestles with his feelings.  
> Part 2 out of 3

“Will you stop fidgeting?”

Kageyama was frowning at him from the window seat, one eye open as he adjusted his position against the window. 

He’d actually fallen asleep against Hinata, but he gently tipped his partner in the other direction and, luckily, Kageyama hadn’t noticed. The softness of Kageyama’s cheek against his head, the warmth of his body and steadiness of his breathing— it’d been too much. Hinata’s cheeks began to burn again, from embarrassment at the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and from anger. He’d been a bad partner lately, he knew. Weird, flighty, unfocused. Their attempts to use the yumi form were a disaster, because of him. He knew it was bad when he found out Kageyama had asked Kenma of all people if something was wrong with him. 

He felt so stupid, he wanted to tear his hair out. Or worse, he wanted to blurt out all his feelings at once. But instead he just looked past Kageyama to the landscape whizzing by as their train snaked up the coast. “I’m just excited to go to the beach.”

Kageyama sat up, rubbing his eyes. “We’re not here for vacation, idiot, we’re here to stop a serial killer from becoming a kishin egg.”

Hinata bit the inside of his lip. “Right.” Kageyama was focusing on the job, and so should he— the lives of the people in this seaside town depended on them, and they needed to collect the demon soul. Hinata took a breath and tried to calm his racing thoughts; he couldn’t afford an erratic or unsteady soul right now. If his partner was holding up his end of their bargain, he had to do the same. They were weapon and meister, nothing more and nothing less. The thought didn’t go down without bitterness.

Kageyama was still looking at him, studying him with a gaze Hinata swore could see straight into his soul. “Hinata, are you- okay?” A pained look came into Kageyama’s face, like he had just swallowed something distasteful. “If something’s going on you can, y’know, talk to m-”

A blast from the train’s whistle interrupted him as they pulled into the station. Hinata sighed in relief.

They were busy from the moment they left the train, interviewing residents and following leads, but still Hinata was distracted. Even as they zeroed in on their target he couldn’t keep the creeping doubts away. He hated hiding his feelings, it wasn’t like him, but was he really willing to risk this partnership? Was he even worthy of this partnership to begin with? How did he ever think he could really keep up with Kageyama, who had enough power and skill and confidence to get any partner he wanted?

Night fell. They found their killer but kept their distance, watching from the rooftops until the right opportunity presented itself. Hinata was trying to ground himself, to focus on the coolness of the sea breeze or the sound of chatter in the street below, but swirling insecurities were making his mind jittery. He watched Kageyama’s quiet, handsome profile in the moonlight. It was like that one October morning all over again, when they ran in the dawn light together. The thought made heat creep up his neck.

Kageyama’s eyes widened.

“We’ve been spotted,” he hissed. Still as a stone one moment, the next he sprang into action and leapt off the roof, calling, “Hinata, katana mode!” A jolt went through Hinata’s body. He needed to _move,_ but it was like his mind had sewn sutures from his body to the ground. He hesitated. Kageyama hit the ground running, or at least he was about to when he realized his weapon wasn’t already in his hand. “Dammit, _Hinata!_ ”

Hinata met his eyes for one awful second as he forced his body to jump and transform into a dark, gleaming blade. Kageyama’s familiar grip caught him on a spin and they took off after their target. “I’m sorry, Kageyama, I don’t know what-”

“Save it.” Kageyama’s voice was steely. “He’s getting away- knife mode!”

 _Shit_. He shrank into a tanto blade. He could feel Kageyama’s anger, his confusion, his overwhelming drive to win. Who knew if they’d be able to find this guy again if they let him get away. Kageyama pulled his arm back, ready to throw. It was his mistake, his fault, all because—

“ _Hinata_ -” 

He heard Kageyama gasp right before his arm snapped forward and Hinata was sent hurtling toward the back of the serial killer. He’d lost control for a second and the hilt of the knife burned just as his partner let go. It wasn’t as bad as the time he’d shocked Kageyama with his wavelength, but it threw the trajectory off and the blade sank hilt-deep into stucco as the demon dashed around a corner. Hinata transformed back into a human and sank down against the wall with a groan. He wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth as he stood.

Kageyama came sprinting up to him and grabbed his shoulders, his face close. “Hinata! Are you alright?” There was a sort of wild look in his eyes as they met his partner’s.

“I’m fine. Your hand-”

Kageyama pulled away, clenching his fist before Hinata could look at his palm. “Dammit, how are we gonna catch up with him? I should’ve been faster, gone after him myself-”

A wave of hot shame and anger crashed over Hinata. When he had turned into such a baby? His stupid wallowing had gotten them into this situation in the first place, and now his partner was trying to take the blame? He exhaled deeply, pushing out all the uncertainty and fear that had clouded his mind for weeks. His eyes flashed open and he pushed Kageyama square in the chest. “Shut up! It was my fault, I hesitated and I’m sorry. But don’t you dare act like you could do this on your own, that’s not how this works!” He forced himself to meet Kageyama’s eyes. “There’s only one thing we can do now. We have to try it.”

Kageyama blinked in surprise for a moment, but his face became drawn when he understood. “No. It’s never worked and I won’t risk using something I don’t _know_ will succeed in battle.”

“We already haven’t succeeded! We can do it, Kageyama, I know we can.” Hinata’s lips pressed together in a tight line. “Just trust me.”

Kageyama studied Hinata for a second, but they had no time to lose. “Fine,” he held out his hand, “I trust you.”

A grin spread across Hinata’s face as he grasped his partner’s hand tightly. 

“Let’s go, soul resonance!”

Their souls reached out for one another, fitting easily together. They were both desperate to win, desperate to make the new form work, but somehow in the pressure of battle they managed to control it, utilize it, instead of being overtaken by it. Hinata knew he couldn’t be afraid of his feelings for Kageyama anymore; that admiration, that trust, that care only made him stronger. Kageyama trusted him. That was all he needed. 

Their mingled cries rose in the street as their resonance rate increased, changing from a ricocheting vibration to a finely tuned hum. Hinata pictured the bow form in his mind and willed his body to change. He could feel some resistance, some part of his mind that still clung to fear, but he harnessed the energy flowing between he and Kageyama’s souls, uniting them, and pushed forward. 

Kageyama inhaled as the new weapon took form in his hands, its asymmetrical curve arching above his head. His lips curled in a smile as he raised the bow, eyes narrowing on the retreating figure of the demon serial killer. “Ready?”

“Ready!” Hinata called. He focused on Kageyama’s soul wavelength, searching for the part of him that was sharp, unrelenting, powerful. He grasped it, took it within his own soul, and compressed it as Kageyama pulled back the yumi’s string. An arrow appeared, light blue and crackling with energy like lightning. 

Kageyama exhaled. “Your soul is ours, scumbag,” he murmured as he released the taut string. 

His aim was true. The arrow whistled through the air and lodged itself square in the target’s back, exploding in a shockwave of soul energy. They heard a strangled cry as the killer’s body hovered in the air and convulsed before being swallowed up into darkness. All that remained was a bobbing red soul.

There was a flash of light and Hinata appeared next to him. They turned to each other, mouths hanging open and eyes wide with disbelief. An excited redness came into their cheeks. “ _That was so cool!”_ they cried in unison.

“Hell yeah, we did it!” Kageyama held up his hands with a grin.

Hinata high-fived him, wrapping his thumbs around Kageyama’s hands. He lingered for a moment too long, caught up in his partner’s rare smile, and a jolt of yearning and embarrassment brought him back to reality. He ripped his hands away, turning to hide how red his face was.

“I should, um, go get that soul,” he said, clearing his throat. His heart was still pounding as he jogged to the other end of the alley and devoured what was left of the demon.

They were quiet on the train ride back to the Academy. Kageyama fell asleep on him again, but this time Hinata didn’t move him. Instead he rested his head on Kageyama’s shoulder and tried to ignore the warm feeling budding in his chest, letting the gentle rhythm of his partner’s breathing lull him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last bit of the three parter  
> Hinata finally confesses his feelings to Kageyama

Hinata clung to the railing with a white-knuckled grip. Kageyama’s hands hung loosely at his sides. It was a beautiful, calm summer evening, but up on the roof of their apartment building Hinata felt like he was caught in a raging storm. His cheeks burned, his thoughts raced, his blood pumped in his ears.

He’d just confessed his feelings to his partner, and a hellish silence hung between them. His pounding heartbeat marked every second that Kageyama said nothing.

Hinata forced himself to glance over. Kageyama’s brows were knit, his hands clenched into fists. _Shit_. He’d made a huge mistake. Memories from the last few months flashed across Hinata’s mind: all the times Kageyama had gone to his room instead of watching TV with him like usual, or sat next to someone else in the cafeteria, or made some weird excuse not to walk home with him after classes. Hinata could feel his throat getting puffy as angry, embarrassed tears threatened to well in his eyes. How could he have been stupid enough to think blurting out his feelings like that was a good idea? Clearly Kageyama had known for months and was trying to avoid this exact moment.

“Shoyo-”

Hinata’s head snapped up, his mouth slightly agape. Kageyama _never_ —

His partner’s face was red. Like, really red. Redder than when Ukai called him out for sleeping in class, or when Suga roasted him in front of everyone. He wasn’t looking at him, and his hands were still stiffly at his side. “Is thatwhy you’ve been acting weird lately? Because you- like me?” It seemed like he had to force the word out.

“Well, yeah. But, listen, Kageyama, if this- I don’t-” Hinata stuttered, struggling to find the words even to babble as his heart sank.

Kageyama suddenly turned and gripped Hinata’s shoulders, hard. “You fucking idiot!This whole time, this whole goddamn year, I thought-” He let go of Hinata as if he’d been shocked. He looked to the side and didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands anymore. “I thought it was because you _knew_.”

Hinata blinked. “K-knew what, Kageyama?”

Kageyama shot him a murderous glare. He mumbled, “You’re really gonna make me say it too, asshole?” He flexed his fingers, and somehow through the static short-circuiting his brain Hinata wondered if he wished he had his nail file. “I like you, too, Shoyo.”

Yep, his brain was short-circuiting. “Huh?” was all Hinata could muster.

“I said I like you, you idiot!” Kageyama snapped, his face getting even redder as he jabbed a finger in Hinata’s face. “I thought you knew, it was so obvious!”

Hinata pointed back at him, getting annoyed almost on instinct. “I’m an idiot? _You’re_ the idiot, stupid! You really had no idea? You were acting so weird!”

“I was acting weird because _you_ were acting weird!”

Their faces were close now, a fact they both seemed to realize slowly as they held each other’s eyes. Their scowls dropped. Kageyama swallowed. They both looked a little scared.

Hinata practically whispered, “Tobio...” The name felt almost strange on his tongue, like a threshold he wasn’t sure he was allowed to cross. 

Two hands softly cupped the sides of his face. Kageyama’s eyes were a rich blue in the golden light, obscured by dark lashes when his gaze dropped to Hinata’s parted lips. He hesitated, but Hinata leaned forward and finally, achingly, they kissed. The feeling was warmer than anything he’d felt before, deeper than any soul resonance. Kageyama tried to pull away first but Hinata grabbed his shirt and tugged him back in with a smile.

“—Hey, your face is red.” Kageyama frowned and pressed a hand to Hinata’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever, do you? We have a big assignment tomorrow, you should be taking better care of yourself.”

Hinata blinked, coming out of the reverie that’d overtaken him tucked into the crook of Kageyama’s arm. “Huh? Oh, no, I’m fine. Just- thinking about something.”

Kageyama made a little noise, apparently deciding not to push any further, and went back to buffing his nails with a polishing block over Hinata’s head. Hinata settled back into the warmth of his chest, but after a minute he sat up and faced Kageyama with his arm over the back of the couch. “Tobio-” His partner looked over at the sound of his name. “Do you think the others knew we liked each other, even when we didn’t?”

Kageyama was surprised by the question but considered it for a moment. “I don’t think so. How could they, if we couldn’t even tell?”

“Hm. Kenma didn’t even say anything to me, so you’re probably right,” Hinata said solemnly. Kageyama shrugged.

“—Yeah, we totally knew,” Sugawara said bluntly. Beside him along the Academy courtyard’s low wall, Shimizu and Ennoshita nodded blankly, while Daichi, Yachi, and Asahi grimaced a little. Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Yamaguchi snickered. 

Tsukki gave them a scathing look. “We knew you were both idiots, but it was sickening,” he said, looking them up and down. Kageyama was standing behind Hinata with his arms draped over the shorter boy’s shoulders, while Hinata absently played with his hands. “Not that this is much better.”

“I dunno, Tsukishima,” Tanaka said with a raised brow, “I’ve never even seen you and ‘Guchi hold hands. Don’t you think that’s way weirder?”

“Yeah, are you some kinda prude or something?” Noya added with a shit-eating grin.

Tsukishima looked pissed but Yamaguchi just laughed. “Tsukki’s shy.”

“Wait a second!” Hinata was bouncing up and down, red-faced with this fists clenched. Kageyama looked unphased. “You _all_ knew? We didn’t even know til the day we started dating! Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I mean it’s not surprising, you guys barely have two brain cells to rub together,” Suga laughed.

Daichi scratched his head, trying to sound apologetic. “We just thought you guys would figure it out on your own, eventually.”

Hinata let out a _hmph_ but Kageyama just rolled his eyes. “Who cares? It doesn’t matter now anyway. Can we just fight?”

“Yeah, Kageyama, we can fight now,” Daichi chuckled. 

Suga patted him on the shoulder and they strolled toward the middle of the open courtyard. “C’mon, Daichi-dear, let’s show these kids how it’s done.”

Daichi sighed. “I told you not to call me that,” he said as he transformed into a blade for Suga.

“Please be careful!” Yachi called as Hinata and Kageyama jogged to the far end.

“We call dueling the winner!” Tanaka shouted after getting an approving nod from Ennoshita.

When they were far enough from the group, Kageyama stopped and took some deep breaths to get into the proper mindset. From their previous practice duels they knew their older classmates couldn’t be underestimated. Daichi’s plain blade form might seem underwhelming next to someone flashy like Hinata, but he and Sugawara had a strong bond that was infuriatingly consistent. 

“Ready?” Hinata asked, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his partner’s ear as his eyes fluttered open.

Kageyama grinned- that rare, excited, determined smile that made Hinata’s heart race- and nodded. “We can’t hold anything back,” he said, holding out his hand.

Hinata grasped his partner’s- his _boyfriend’s_ \- hand tightly. He could feel their soul wavelengths melding in a warm, familiar harmony. “Never.”

With a flash of light he morphed into a yumi and they turned to face their opponents, together.


End file.
